Computers and mobile devices are commonly equipped with hardware and software for recording and playing back audio signals. For example, desktop and laptop computers may employ microphones, sound processing cards, and speakers, and may use various programs, such as “Sound Recorder,” “Garage Band,” “Windows Media Player,” and/or “iTunes,” for example, for acquiring, organizing, and/or playing back audio recordings. Likewise, mobile devices, such as smart phones, tablets, personal readers, and PDAs (Personal Data Assistants), for example, can be equipped with microphones, speakers and sound processing hardware and may include a variety of applications (“apps”) for managing audio recordings.
Apple's “Voice Memos” app is widely distributed with iOS devices, such as iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Voice Memos allows users to record their own dictation, as well as meetings and lectures. Users can manually trim recordings to remove unwanted content, can backup recordings to a computer or to the cloud, and can share recordings with other users via AirDrop, email, or text messaging.
Third party apps are also widely available for audio recording and provide additional features. For example, an iOS app called “Recordium” records sounds and allows users to append notes, memos, and photos. Users can apply tags within an audio stream to serve as bookmarks. Users can also view waveform displays of sound recordings and manually highlight audio segments within recordings for future reference.